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Moyer wins one for the ages

Colorado starter oldest pitcher to win a major-league game

By Troy E. Renck The Denver Post

Posted:
04/17/2012 11:08:30 PM MDT

Updated:
04/17/2012 11:08:40 PM MDT

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jamie Moyer throws in the second inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider)
(
Chris Schneider
)

DENVER -- Jamie Moyer sat by his locker Tuesday afternoon, looking through wire-rim glasses at his composition book. It includes copious notes, reminders of how he wants to attack hitters.

Until two years ago, Moyer studied tendencies on VCR tapes (kids ask your parents). He made his major-league debut when Ferris Bueller was in theatres, and has rarely taken a day off since over the past 25 years.

On a cool, windy night at Coors Field, the left-hander walked out to Led Zeppelin and delivered a Classic Rock performance. Moyer became the oldest pitcher to win a major-league game at 49 years, 150 days, in a 5-3 win over the Padres.

"I didn't think about this day because I thought it would be unfair to my teammates and the game," said Moyer, whose entire family, save for a son playing college baseball, witnessed his outing. "To me it wasmore important that I won for this team."

While his signing was viewed as a novelty act, Moyer has been the Rockies' best starting pitcher this season.

He didn't walk clumsily into history against San Diego, instead embracing it with pitches on the corners and at all different speeds.

Moyer worked seven innings, allowing no earned runs on four hits.

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His lone strike out victim was Padres center fielder Cameron Maybin, who swung so hard he fell to his knees in the sixth inning.

The Brooklyn Dodgers' Jack Quinn was the previous oldest pitcher to win a game, topping the St. Louis Cardinals in 1932 at 49 years, 70 days.

"I kind of wish I was a baseball historian, and I am little embarrassed that I don't know more about it," Moyer said. "To have my name mentioned with the greats of the past is special."

The Rockies' first two weeks have been disappointing, if not puzzling.

Moyer was supposed to reveal his fragility, yet he's been the most reliable cog in the rotation in his three starts.

The defense, meanwhile, has been volatile, committing seven errors in his outings.

Reigning Gold Glover Troy Tulowitzki created cause for alarm, turning in his fourth career two-error game, and second in four nights.

He threw wildly in the third inning, but it was his inability to handle Andy Parino's routine groundball in the sixth that threatened Moyer's bid at immortality.

Following Tulo's gaffe, the Padres shaved the deficit to 3-2 on a sacrifice fly. If Moyer was going to win, it was going to be on him.

With the tying run on third, he promptly lured Jeremy Hermida into a weak swing on a cut-fastball at catcher Wilin Rosario's direction, extinguishing the rally.

This was vintage Moyer. And that's saying something for a guy who has thrown more than 58,000 pitches.

To make room for Escalona, the team optioned right-hander Tyler Chatwood to the Sky Sox. Chatwood was 1-0 with a save and a 5.63 ERA in four appearances. Manager Jim Tracy said the move was made simply to get Chatwood more time on the mound.

Tracy said he believes that Tyler Chatwood "is going to resurface and do some special things for this club."

The 25-year-old Escalona had two saves for the Sky Sox and didn't allow a run in five innings.

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